Apparatus for inserting hair into the heads of dolls



April 4, 1961 o. FOLLENDER 2,977,906

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO THE HEADS OF DOLLS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 07' 7'0 FOZZE/VDL A? HTTOENEY April 1961 o. FOLLENDER 2,977,906

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO THE HEADS OF DOLLS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 30 V/ i@i $1 52 1/1 1 59" $33 29 39" M29 2 INVENTOR.

0770 FOLLENDEF.

20 F165, 2 6 2722 FIG].

HTTORNE).

April 4, 196.] FOLLENDER 2,977,906

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO THE HEADS 0F DOLLS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.

INVENTOR. 0H0 Follender Maxwell E.Sporrow ATTORNEY.

April 4, 1961 FQLLENDER 2,977,906

APPARATUS FOR INSERTING HAIR INTO THE HEADS OF DOLLS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.I2

INVENTOR. 0H0 Follender Y Maxwell E. Spo rrow ATTORNEY.

.APPARATUSFOR INSERTING HAIR INTO THE HEADS F DOLLS Otto Follender, 65 W. Main St., East Islip, N .Y.

Filed Sept. 20,1954, Ser. No. 456,987

9 Claims. (Cl. 112-795) This invention relates to improvements in the application of hair-simulating filament or fiber to form hair strands in workpieces such as scalps for dolls heads. Such hair strands are applied either in predetermined lengths from a magazine or by cutting continuously the filament into the hair strands when the filament is inserted into the scalp of the doll. The filament is inserted into the scalp of the doll by a specially provided, butco-nventional, sewing machine used in this type of work, and the cut hair strands are held in place by a chain-stitch arrangement.

However, difficulty arose in cutting thefilamentior fiber into proper lengths of hair strands and in holding the cut end of the filament until the latter has been pulled through the scalp by the needle to form the strands of simulating strands may be cut into predetermined uniform lengths of hair strands. a

It is another object of the present'invention to provide an 'instrumentality whereby the loose end of the filament may be securely held in position until the needle has pulled the filamentthrough the plastic scalp.

It. is a further object of the present invention to providemeans whereby the position of the loose end of the filament may be varied to control the length of the hairsimulating strands.

; Yet another, object: of the present invention is; to providesimplemeans for determining thelength of the hair strands being cut from the filament.

Another object. of; the. present invention residesin the provision of protective means for the operator of the apparatus to prevent him from being injured by the cutting knife during operation of the apparatus.

The aboveand other objects, features and advantages will appear from the following detailed description, and in the accompanying drawings illustrating; modes of carrying out the invention. It is understood, however, that it is not intended that the invention be limited to the exact details, described, herein" which illustrates a'satisfactory apparatus of many which rnaybe produced as a result ofthe knowledge gained through or gleaned from an understanding of the invention, and it is further understood and intended that there be included, as part of the invention, all such obvious changes and' modificationsthereof, as would occur to aperson skilled in the 1, -In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational h s m e qu p d w th an attachment accordi g to the inventiom i 2 i a plan v ew of, a n ngd c employed in the inv n on;

.' B g- 3 is a f om elevaticna view at a s win machine incorporating the invention in a modified form;

view of a sew- Ufiiwd ate Patent- 1Q V v 2,9719% Patented Apr. 4, 1961 'Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 showfragmentary views of the wiping disc disposed in different positions;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a right hand side view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a wiping disc incorporating t e invention in a modified for-m;

Figs. 9, l0 and 11 are partial sectional views in detail showing diagrammatically the cycle of operation of the embodiment seen in Fig. 8;

'Fig. 12 is a more developed plan view of Fig. 8, showingdiagrammatically a stage in the cycle of operation indicated in Fig. 11.

Reference is made to Patent No. 2,698,019 (Sotsky) for a general understanding of the conventional stages employed in anchoring simulated strands of hair in a dolls head.

Referring now in detail to Figs. 1 and-2 of the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a conventional sewing machine specially adapted for the purpose intended. The sewing machine 15 is equipped with the conventional operating Wheel 16 and drive belt 17. A special driving mechanism 18 (which may include a separate motor) is, attached to the horizontal arm portion 19 of sewing,

of driving mechanism 18 to which is secured arm 2 6' adjacent the disc 20 and having at its extreme end the cutter and gripper arrangement 27 (see Figs. 4 to 7, in-v elusive). Collar 25 may be made locked in desired position by any conventional means. A clamp 28 has secured thereto by means of a set screw 29, a knife blade 30 which will reach into the groove 22, but short of the slot 23. At the other end of clamp 28 there is secured a pad 31 made of felt, rubber, composition or other resilient material. The knife can be moved away or towards the needle 33 by swinging movement of arm 26 and held in desired position by suitable means. When the machine is properly timed positioning arm 26 closer to the needle position will shorten the length of the strands and positioning arm 26 further away from the needle will lengthen the strands cutwithin the mechanical limits of the assembly.

For the arrangement shown in the drawings the disc 20 rotates in the direction of the arrow 32. As is conventional with this type of sewing machine, the needle 33 operates in reciprocal and lateral movements, and the arrangement of disc 20 and the adjustably positioned assembly '26, 27 to the machine is such that the needle 33 reciprocates through the slots 23. The disc 20 is the strand-measuring device.

In Fig. 2, by way of example, there are shown five slots 23, which means that the needle will operate five times to every one revolution of the disc 20. As disc 20 rotates, needle 33 will start on its Way up at a point A (Fig. 2), project through throat plate 60 of throat 61 secured to the sewing machine, pierce scalp 35 (which is held down :by presser 24) and slot 23 at point B and will then withdraw from the slot until point C is reached, this movement or cycle being repeated five times corresponding to the five slots 23 during one revolution of the disc 20. This is so because the movements of disks 20 and needle 33 are synchronized so that the end of the needle appears and disappears before the ends of slot 23 are reached. The needle 33 will now (during one-fifth revolution of disc 20) hold one portion, of the filament 3641 which is in the scalp 35, while the preceding portion of the filament which comes from spool 36, passes through the looper 37. The disc 20 in rotating will now cause the indent 38 at one extremity of slot 23 to reach the cutting edge 35 of the knife blade 30, thus causing the filament to be cut. However, the pad 31 will retain the portion of continuous thread or filament 36a in advance of cutter 30; after cutter 30 has cut or severed a strand of predetermined length from filament 36a, the pad 31 will retain the loose cut end of the filament 36a under slight pressure by pressing the loose cut end of filament 36a against the surface of disc 20 and retain it thus until the next stitch is being formed. The resilient pad 31 being located between the needle 33 and the cutter means 30, the said cut end of filament 36a remains under the resilient pad 31 by which it is held against the solid surface of disc 20 while the latter rotates in the direction of its normal action. Locating the blade 30 in peripheral groove 22 will prevent injury to the operator. The length of the filament to be cut to form the hair strand may be altered by rotatably adjusting about housing 18' the split ring 25 to which is secured arm 26 with its blade attach ment 27 in relation to needle 33.

As shown in the modification depicted in Fig. 3, the disc-driving mechanism may be located at any desirable place. In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the positioning arm is indicated by 26. In Fig. 3, the arm 45 is supported by a bracket 46. The vertical shaft 47 must be positioned above or below the center 48 (Fig. 4) of the measuring or wiping disc 20, so that the cutter and gripper arrangement 27 may be maintained in position relative to disc 20 regardless of the rotatable adjustment of arm 26' on shaft 47 by means of adjusting screw 34.

The outwardly extending or offset slots 38 (Fig. 2); 3811 (Fig. 4) are provided in order to guide filament 36a beyond slot 23 so that pad 31 will have a solid surface to bear against.

It may be desirable to have the strand released from the inner side of the slot in the disc. Fig. 8 shows such an arrangement, wherein the disc 50 is provided with the slot 53. Slot 53 has an angular inwardly extending or offset portion 54 terminating at 56. The filament 36a which is to be cut will ride against the wall 55 towards the inside of the disc or inwardly of slot 53 as indicated at 56. That is, the trailing end of slot 53 has the inwardly turned slot portion 54, 56 which the filament 36a follows to be cut by the cutter means 30 to form the strand of simulated hair. The slot 54 extends inwardly of the leading end of the next adjacent slot 53. The strand is cut at point 56 when point 56 in its travel away from the needle arrives at the cutting edge of cutter 52.

Fig. 4 shows another variation of the trailing end of slot 23. The trailing end has an angular outwardly extending or offset portion terminating in a slot which may be substantially straight, this slot being narrower than the slot 23 and indicated by the numeral 38a. The outwardly extending slot 38a extends or is positioned outwardly of or beyond the leading end of the next adjacent longitudinal slot 23.

Since the possible maximum and minimum length of the hair strand cut is determined by the position of the heel 38b of the offset slot 38a (Fig. 4) or of the heel 56 of offset slot 54 (Fig. 8) in relation to the needle station (the greater the distance between heel and needle station at instant of cutting, the longer the strand and vice versa), overlapping offset slot 38a or 54 will thereby extend the slot 23 or 53 (Figs. 4, 8) beyond the leading end of the next succeeding slot, permitting the cutting means to be advanced to a stage earlier in the cycle of operation than would otherwise be normally possible, resulting in shorter hair strands being produced, if desired.

Fig. 7 represents a cutaway of Fig. 4 with the cutter removed.

The utilization of a disc per se is not new, but by the present invention certain novel features have been introduced, such as, for example, the proper positioning of the knife blade 30 with relation to groove 22, so that the blade will not visibly extend into slot 23 (see Figs. 4 and 6); the shape of the slots 23, 53 for directing or guiding the filament and determining the length thereof to be cut to form the hair strands, the trailing end of the slot being shaped and designed such that the cutting blade will always remain covered to prevent injury to the fingers of the operator of the apparatus; the provision of the pad or resilient member 31 to hold the free end of the filament down until the needle has pulled the filament portion (forming the hair strand) through the scalp 35 of the roll head, as otherwise, the cut filament will have a tendency to disengage from the hook of the needle 33; the provision for adjustably holding the knife holder and the resilient pad holder, and the rotatable cutter-arm assembly 25, 26, 27.

The fiber, filament or yarn employed for producing the simulated hair may be made of any conventional material, such as a plastic yarn known as Saran, a eopolymer of vinylidene chloride. This plastic yarn is preferable since it is fiameproof and can be extruded into any desired size. The scalp or head 35 is also conventional, being made of resilient rubber or any of the well known rubberlike materials.

In conventional sewing machines as an example of which may be mentioned the type known as Puritan Sewing Machine, made by the Puritan Mfg. Co., Boston, Mass, in forming the chain stitch the needle must first travel upward, pierce the workpiece (such as scalp piece 35) which is retained between a part of the machine known as the throat, and the presser foot. At the upper part of the stroke, the needle then engages the thread or filament. By conventional mechanism, the presser foot is lifted and the needle is rocked forward in timed relation therewith. When the needle has moved the workpiece forward a preset distance, it is drawn downward into the workpiece; the thread or filament is then drawn into the workpiece and the presser foot again clamps the workpiece against the throat. The needle then forms the thread or filament into a chain stitch loop and then comes up again for the next cycle of operation.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, there are disclosed partial sectional views in detail showing steps in a cycle of operation of the embodiment seen in Fig. 8, which steps, of course, are applicable to the disclosures in the other figures.

In Fig. 12, there is disclosed a more developed plan view of Fig. 8, showing a stage in the cycle of operation indicated in Fig. 11. 1

- Referring to Fig. 9, a looped hair strand has previously formed hair elements 36b and 36c in scalp 35. In the stage during a cycle of operation, which is seen in Fig. 9, the end 36d of filament portion P from which the previously formed looped strand had been severed is maintained between pad 31 and disc 50. The filament 36a passes through the opening in looper 37 (which is con- 7 ventional in machines of the type utilizable in the invention) and the end 36d of its portion P is still maintained between pad 31 and disc 50, while needle 33 in its nor mal action is about to engage filament 36a with its hook portion. In the stage shown in Fig. 10, needle 33 is partially withdrawn from its upper limit carrying with it that portion P of filament 36a, the end of which is still maintained between pad 31 and disc 50. The additional length P' of filament 36a coming from supply 36 needed to form the next hair element is drawn through the opening in looper 37 by needle 33 in its downward stroke.

In the meantime, disc 50 has been rotating (in the direction of the arrow) by means of the driving mechanism 18 (Figs. 1 and 8) thereby bringing the heel 56 of slot 53 to a position where it willeventually cause that portion P' of fi1ament36a which extends between looper 37 and needle 33 to ride under pad 31 while the cycle of operation continues.

Between stages depicted in Figs. and 11, the needle 33 has been withdrawn through the scalp 35 at which moment the friction between the wall of the hole made in scalp 35 by needle 33 and the filament 3611 becomes greater than the friction between pad 31 and disc 50, thereby causing the free end 36d of filament portion 1 to be pulled free from between pad 31 and disc 50. While disc 50 continues its rotational travel, needle 33 (in synchronism therewith) completes its downward stroke forming -a chain stitch in conventional manner which locks the previously formed looped strand (36b, 36c) to the underside of the scalp.

Further rotation of disc 50 brings heel portion 56 of slot 53 under pad 31 carrying with it portion P of ment 36a under pad 31, said heel of the disc, meantime, pulling more of the filament 36a from the supply 36 until the moment portion P makes contact with blade 52, where it is severed from the filament 36a.

In the stage depicted in Fig. 11, the portion P of filament 36a has just been severed and a second hair element 36c has been developed. After the needle has reached the bottom of its stroke (Fig. 11), it travels upward and pierces the scalp piece 35 in conventional manner in the new position at a point adjacent the previously formed hair element 36c.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the stage of operation depicted in Fig. 11. The slots are indicated by 53, 53a, 53b, 53c and 53d, respectively, and corresponding trailing slot portions are indicated by 56, 56a, 56b, 56c and 56d.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to certain particular preferred examples which give satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for forming hair-simulating strands in 'a workpiece in cycles from a continuous filament, which apparatus comprises a stitching machine provided with means including a rotatable disc having circumferentially arranged arcuate slots, and a reciprocating needle for drawing the filament through the slots in said disc and into the workpiece; means cooper-able with said disc for predetermining the length of the filament to he cut, means for cutting said predetermined length of the filament during the cutting stage in a cycle of operation for forming a simulated hair strand, and means adjacent said cutting means for frictionally maintaining the tree end of the continuous filament against said disc after said cutting stage and during a stage in the next cycle of operation.

2. In apparatus according to claim 1, and wherein each of said slots has an oiiset portion at its trailing end, a side of which is engageable with the filament during rotation of said disc.

3. In apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ofiset portion overlaps the leading end of the next adjacent slot of said circumferentially arranged arcuate slots.

4. In apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said arcuate slots having a slot portion to direct the continuous filament to a side of said arcuate slot.

5. In apparatus according to claim' 1, and means for adjustably positioning said cutting means and said frictionally maintaining means.

6. In apparatus according to claim 1, and wherein said frictional maintaining means comprises a resilient pad engageable'with said filament.

7. In apparatus according to claim 1, and means for adjustably positioning said cutting means and said frictionally maintaining means, said latter means including a resilient pad engageable with said filament.

8. In apparatus for forming hair-simulating strands in a workpiece in cycles from a continuous filament, which apparatus comprises a stitching machine provided with means including a rotatable disc having circumferentially'arranged arcuate slots and a reciprocating needle for drawing the filament through the slots in said disc and into the workpiece; means cooperable with said disc for predetermining the length of the filament to be cut,

7 ed in a direction away from said arcuate slots, and the closed end of said portion being engageable with the filament for carrying the latter to said effective cutting portion of said cutting means during rotation of said disc.

9. In apparatus for forming hair-simulating strands in a workpiece in cycles from a continuous filament, which apparatus comprises a stitching machine provided with means including a rotatable disc having circumferentially arranged arcuate slots and a reciprocating needle for drawing the filament through the slots in said disc and into the workpiece; means cooperable with said disc for predetermining the length of the filament to be cut, means for cutting said predetermined length of the filament during the cutting stage in a cycle of operation for forming a simulated hair strand, each of said slots at its trailing end having an offset slotted portion provided with an open end and a closed end, the open end of said portion communicating with the said slot and the closed end of said portion Ibeing engageable with the filament for carrying the latter to said cutting means during rotation of said disc, said offset portion overlapping the leading end of the next adjacent slot of said circumferential-ly arranged arcuate slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,686,305 Hall Aug. 10, 1954 2,698,019 Sotz'ky Dec. 28, 1954 2,747,530 Goldberg et al. May 29, 1956 2,780,190 Lenohle Feb. 5, 1957 2,812,734 Richards Nov. 12, 1957 2,828,702 Hall Apr. 1, 1958 

